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Alberta Liberal Leader David Khan reacts to the approval of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project.

“The Federal Cabinet has made a balanced and responsible decision approving the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project that benefits both the economy and the environment.

Alberta Liberals believe this project is in the national interest and could contribute tens of billions of dollars to the economy and create and sustain thousands of jobs. We also support a commitment that an estimated $500 million a year in federal corporate tax revenue should be invested in clean energy projects to transition away from fossil fuels.

Alberta Liberal Leader David Khan said, “This is a Win-Win for Albertans and all Canadians. We support approval of the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion. Today’s decision shows the importance of working multilaterally, consulting with Indigenous Peoples, and taking environmental concerns seriously. Co-operation and responsibility get projects built, not threats and war rooms.

“This will mean good-paying jobs for Albertans and a boost to the provincial and national economies. It will also help advance solutions to deal with the climate crisis we all face.”

Khan added, “We strongly endorse current negotiations with Indigenous groups to purchase the TMX expansion. We are pleased the Cabinet addressed environmental concerns by accepting all of the National Energy Board’s 156 conditions and made six of them stronger and better. This includes improving marine and emergency response plans with far more Indigenous participation.

“The federal Cabinet is also proposing eight new accommodation measures to address specific Indigenous concerns. This includes the Salish Sea Initiative to curb the impact of increased tanker traffic on the southern resident killer whale population and the Quiet Vessel Initiative to reduce noise pollution.

“There are still challenges for this project, including a number of permits and regulatory hurdles. We must move forward as rapidly as possible. Our country must not lose any more opportunities to achieve market access for responsibly-produced Canadian energy.

“We must stop being held hostage by the American market that shortchanges us for our resources. Alberta oil should be sold at fair prices. All Canadians should share in that increased revenue and together we must all address the climate crisis.”

Alberta Liberal Leader David Khan has issued the following statement in recognition of Pride Month:

“As the first openly-gay Leader of a political party in our province, I am proud and privileged to join with Albertans in celebrating LGBTQ2S+ communities across Alberta.

“Alberta Liberals led all political parties in support for LGBTQ2S+ Albertans in 2014 with Private Member’s Bill 202 to make gay-straight alliances (GSAs) mandatory in schools where students ask for them.

“The former PC government credited the Alberta Liberals as the driving force behind the GSA legislation that eventually became Bill 10, andin 1994 we were the first party to call for sexual orientation to be added as a prohibited ground of discrimination to the Alberta Human Rights Act.

“I urge Premier Jason Kenney to reverse his planned elimination of school GSA club protections for vulnerable LGBTQ2S+ youth and leave these fundamental protections in the School Act in place. He must now represent all Albertans in a fair and equitable manner.

“We have been calling on the provincial government to ban conversion therapy, and will continue to fight for an end to this hateful practice in Alberta and at the federal level, and for progress on other LGBTQ2S+ Albertans’ issues, like fair and accessible access to hormone therapy and Medicare-insured gender reassignment surgery for Trans Albertans.

Alberta Liberal David Khan issues the following statement reacting to the new UCP Government’s first throne speech.

Khan stated, “The UCP’s first throne speech shows a Government that is stuck in the social and economic past.

“While the UCP’s throne speech stated the economy and jobs are a priority, it failed to mention two concrete measures to get Albertans back to work. There was no mention of economic diversification or the new training and education Albertans need to thrive in the future job market. Only paranoia and witch hunts about foreign-funded environmental campaigns and tax cuts for corporations.

“Those same corporate tax cuts will further sink Albertans into debt. While the UCP are quick to cite economists on lowering corporate tax cuts, they’re equally quick to ignore their pleas for Alberta to implement some form of a sales tax. This Government will not get Albertans off the revenue rollercoaster. Basing the fall budget on recommendations of a “blue-ribbon panel” constrained to examine only spending, not revenue options, is reckless and self-defeating.